God's Mystery Revealed In Jesus Christ
Did you know that God was the world's first mystery writer? His story was written long before it was a popular literary style. The focus of God's "mystery" masterpiece is the cross of Jesus Christ and "the way" of faith. The Apostle Paul called the crucifixion of Jesus a "mystery", which explains why it's so easily distorted by religion. The apostle Paul had this to say..."Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began but now has been made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures has been made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for the obedience to the faith--to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen." (Romans 16:25-27 NKJV) The "mystery" theme is repeated throughout the New Testament, predominantly in the epistles of Saint Paul: "...we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery" (1 Cor. 2:7)..."having made known to us the mystery of his will" (Eph. 1:9)..."how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery" (Eph. 3:3)..."you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ" (Eph. 3:4)..."And to make all people see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God" (Eph. 3:9)..."This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." (Eph. 5:32)..."to make known the mystery of the gospel" (Eph. 6:19)..."the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints" (Col. 1:26)..."what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27)..."to the knowledge of the mystery of God" (Col. 2:2)..."to speak the mystery of Christ" (Col. 4:3)..."holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience" (1 Tim. 3:9)..."great is the mystery of godliness" (1 Tim. 3:16). The Scriptural support for Saint Paul's position is extensive--but there is a problem. Religion distorts the meaning of God's mystery...and the effects are disastrous. Good people in church leadership roles and with noble intentions interpret God's mystery incorrectly. This practice claims many victims as we approach the last days. If you think that religion and Christianity is the same thing--you're in for a rude awakening. Why the name "Rock of Offence"? When Biblical truth collide with the religious traditions and philosophies of men, offense is always the result. Jesus is referred to as "The Rock of Offence" (1 Peter 2:7-8, Romans 9:33). Our choice of names may not represent a good marketing strategy, but it does convey a Biblical warning--up front. If you're new to our website--don't misinterpret our "straight talk" as a "cavalier" attitude. We avoid religious and denominational bias and oppose popular "conventional wisdom" when it conflicts with the Bible--God's Word. For these reasons the tone of our discussions may appear "abrasive" to those who are unaware that God calls His people to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 2:3-4). The Crisis Of Truth And The Present DarknessJesus made an interesting statement..."I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work" (John 9:4). Lately, it seems to be getting very dark. Anyone who takes a stand on the teachings of Jesus Christ is assaulted--not only from the "church" but also from the intellectuals of the world who believe His teachings are intolerant and socially irrelevant. Speaking the truth (as Jesus taught it) in public--or worse--in the news media gets you verbally assaulted from countless different directions. In the Bible, "darkness" is used as symbolism for the scarcity of truth and society's acceptance of wickedness. Today, good is evil and evil is good. Everyone's beliefs are accepted as truth--it's just considered a "different" truth. Many believe the occult, homosexuality, the "free sex culture", hedonism and the loss of religious freedom to be among the greatest threats to Biblical truth. Yet, these issues pale in comparison to the real danger...a danger no one wants to address. The greatest threat is the anti-christian church. This is a covert influence within "Christian Orthodoxy" that looks and sounds like real Christianity--but isn't. It's a counterfeit and ensnares millions of unsuspecting professing Christians. One example of this influence is the many church organizations that sacrifice their Godly calling to entice people into their services. The truths of the Bible are redefined to the lowest level that appeals to the largest segment of the public. Yet, we wonder why God's power isn't around any more. Many will be astonished when Jesus returns in righteousness to set things straight. Unfortunately, by then it will be too late. Spiritual freedom is one of the central characteristics of real Christianity. Jesus said... "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32 KJV)However, distorting God's Word to further the cause of a religious organization does not produce freedom--it creates spiritual bondage. Christianity is COMMONLY practiced in this manner...and it grieves the Holy Spirit and dishonors the ministry of God's Word. Today, we see a growing number of Christians leave institutional churches to escape spiritual abuse and unbiblical teaching. Across America, they number in the millions. Church leaders suggest that these people are in rebellion against God and His appointed authority. Religious leaders tell us that "committed Christians" belong in church and that it is a sin to "forsake the assembling of ourselves together". I agree with the Bible that Christians should not "forsake assembling"--but I disagree with the way the word "assembling" is redefined to advance the cause of an organization. We call these people "Un-churched Christians"--and most are not rebelling against God at all--because it's God's voice (the voice of the Good Shepherd) that they're following! We desire to accomplish several things related to this unique move of God. First, we want to relieve condemnation and guilt by validating what many "Un-churched" Christians already know to be true. Secondly, we seek to expose spiritual abuse and doctrinal distortions in order to return the Gospel of Jesus Christ to its original state--Good News! Currently, we are far from these goals. But, we hope to do a better job as more material is added in the future. We share some of the experiences of this movement. We understand the condemnation, guilt and loneliness that is oftentimes felt--and the healing that is needed.The world's eternal destiny hangs in the balance--something the Lord Jesus gave his life for. He treats the truth--and those who exploit it for personal advantage--with great seriousness. Authentic salvation depends on following simple, but specific conditions based on the Bible--God's legal authority. Because of His great love, our heavenly Father made eternal life simple to obtain so that as many as possible could receive it. Yet, religion has confused the way so that few actually find it. Many in the modern church world are convinced they are heaven bound. Yet, they fail to accept eternal life (heaven's prerequisite) as God's free gift through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Many believe there is "a way" that is more right. They believe "their way" of church affiliation, spiritual dedication and commitment to obey religious law--is a "better way". This belief is similar to the error of Cain (Genesis 4:1-16)--who killed his brother Abel in anger because God rejected his sacrifice of "good works". The Bible warns about "the way that seems right"--but ends in death (Proverbs 14:12). The "better way" that many follow is not God's way. Yet, it appears as authentic Christianity to uninformed casual observers. The Bible teaches that the cross of Jesus Christ is a "blood covenant"...and a MYSTERY that is understood through the principles of that covenant. A covenant perspective restores the awe and majesty of God's love and Christ's sacrifice to the gospel. Rock of Offence and the book, "Mystery of the Faith" examines some of the ancient truths that energized the first century church into people who "turned the world upside down" for Jesus Christ (Acts 17:6). |